# Bonfire Night in Cumbria 2026: Fireworks, Dates and Prices *Six displays have a 2026 date so far, one is free, and Kendal, Keswick and Penrith haven't announced anything. Here is what's confirmed, what isn't, and how to cope with a child who hates the bangs.* By Dan Fitzpatrick, Fell & Family. Updated Tuesday 29 September 2026. Canonical: https://fellandfamily.co.uk/guides/bonfire-night-and-fireworks-in-cumbria-2026.html **The short answer:** The biggest is the free Carlisle Fireshow at Bitts Park on Saturday 31 October, from 6.30pm. After that come Cockermouth on Sunday 1 November, then Walby Farm Park (£11.95) and Low Wood Bay at Windermere (from £12.50) on Thursday 5 November, and Windermere Rugby Club on Saturday 7 November. Kendal, Keswick, Penrith and Ulverston had not published 2026 dates when I checked on 29 September. Checked 29 September 2026; dates change, so the organiser link is the one to trust. Bonfire night Cumbria 2026 is a slightly odd puzzle, because the county doesn't do one big night. It does a scatter of them across the eight days from Halloween to the following Saturday, and about half the towns you'd expect haven't announced anything. I'm a dad in Carlisle with a six-year-old and a seven-year-old, so I read every organiser page for the boring bits: where to park, what it costs, when bedtime falls apart. Bonfire Night itself is Thursday 5 November, a school night. Sunset in Carlisle that day is about 4.26pm (my calculation, not an official figure), so anything starting at six is properly dark. Half term is the week before, and the clocks go back on Sunday 25 October. ## Bonfire night Cumbria 2026: every confirmed date, in order Screenshot this bit. Details are further down, and where an organiser hasn't published something I've said so. - Sat 31 October, 6.30pm: Carlisle Fireshow, Bitts Park. Free, no booking. - Sun 1 November, 5pm to 7pm: Cockermouth Annual Fireworks Display, Memorial Gardens. Price not stated. - Thu 5 November, gates 4pm, event 6pm to 9pm: Bonfire Bonanza, Walby Farm Park, near Carlisle. £11.95, under-1s free. - Thu 5 November, about 7.30pm: Bonfire Night at Low Wood Bay, Windermere. From £12.50, booking required. - Thu 5 November, 6.45pm: Sedbergh School bonfire and fireworks. Price and public access not stated. - Sat 7 November, gates 5.30pm: Windermere Rugby Club Fireworks Extravaganza, Bowness. Price to be confirmed. - November, date to be confirmed: Hawkshead Bonfire and Fireworks, from 5.30pm. Donations, cash only. That is every 2026 date I could confirm. The rest of this page is last year's pattern, labelled, or a plain 'not announced'. ## Free or ticketed? Only Carlisle is definitely free. Cockermouth's page gives no price, though a tourism directory lists it as free, so I'd expect free but wouldn't bet the petrol on it. Walby and Low Wood Bay are the ticketed pair, and Hawkshead wants cash donations at the gate. Low Wood Bay's display is fifteen minutes, which is short money if you're driving far and fair enough if the lake view is the point. ## The displays, one by one ### Carlisle Fireshow (Carlisle) Fireworks in Carlisle in 2026 means the Fireshow, now in its 37th year: more than 2,000 fireworks set to music, a bonfire, and a countdown theme for the 2027 Tour de France Grand Départ (Carlisle hosts the Stage One finish on 2 July 2027). The council expects over 35,000 people, the same as last year. There's no fairground on the night, but food and family entertainment run in Castle Car Park from 5pm to 8.30pm. No alcohol, pets or fireworks of any kind, sparklers included. - Price: Free, no booking - Parking: Bitts Park car park closed, no vehicle access to Bitts Park or Dacre Road. Blue Badge parking at Castle Car Park (first come, last entry 5.45pm, no leaving until 8.30pm) - Toilets/buggies: Not stated. Wheelchair viewing area on Sheepmount Road - Check first: Road closures on Castle Way and West Tower Street, about 7.30pm to 8.30pm - Website: https://www.discovercarlisle.co.uk/events/carlisle-fireshow-2/ ### Cockermouth Annual Fireworks Display (Cockermouth) Cockermouth Town Council runs it, listed for 5pm to 7pm at the Memorial Gardens (CA13 0HR). The council's page has no gate time, no price and nothing on parking, toilets or bad weather. A tourism directory calls it free and held on the Sunday nearest the 5th, but that isn't the council's word. - Price: Not stated (a tourism directory says free) - Parking: Not stated - Toilets/buggies: Not stated - Check first: Council on 01900 821869; the start time inside 5pm to 7pm isn't given - Website: https://cockermouth.org/events/cockermouth-annual-fireworks-display-2026/ ### Bonfire Bonanza at Walby Farm Park (Crosby-on-Eden, Carlisle) Walby is at Crosby-on-Eden, CA6 4QL. The ticket covers the fireworks plus the indoor play barn and the undercover Roman fort from 4pm, which handles the long wait for dark, and the Almanac has the fireworks in a field away from the animals. The Cowshed Café does bonfire food on the night (the page doesn't say if it's free). Tickets are selling fast. Dogs: the farm's normal rule is assistance dogs only, and its FAQ doesn't say if that changes for Bonfire Night, so ask. - Price: £11.95, £9.95 annual pass holders, under-1s free - Parking: Free on-site car park - Toilets/buggies: Pushchair and wheelchair accessible, all low level, but it's a farm so expect mud. Toilets not stated - Check first: Book online; ask about dogs - Website: https://www.walbyfarmpark.co.uk/event/bonfire-bonanza-2026/ ### Bonfire Night at Low Wood Bay (Windermere) The fireworks go up over Windermere at about 7.30pm and run 15 minutes. The £12.50 ticket is for the Gallery Lounge, open from 6pm, with parking included in the Watersports Car Park. There's also a bonfire dinner (£37.50 adult, £15 child up to 12) at 6pm or 7pm. The hotel may cancel or postpone in heavy rain or high winds. For a child who hates the noise, the Gallery Lounge sounds like the indoor option, though that's my reading of how the page lists it apart from the lawns. Ask. - Price: From £12.50 per person; dinner £37.50 adult, £15 child up to 12 - Parking: Included in Gallery Lounge and dinner tickets (Watersports Car Park) - Toilets/buggies: Not stated - Check first: Weather cancellation and whether the lounge is indoors: 015394 39479 - Website: https://englishlakes.co.uk/events/2026-bonfire-night-at-low-wood-bay-resort-spa/ ### Sedbergh School Bonfire and Fireworks (Sedbergh) The school's events page gives the field below Busk Lane, between School House and Sedgwick House. It doesn't say whether the public can come, or give a price or parking. A tourism directory describes Sedbergh's usual display as free to attend, undated, but the school says nothing either way, so phone before you plan an evening round it. - Price: Not stated - Parking: Not stated - Toilets/buggies: Not stated - Check first: Whether it is open to the public at all; ask Sedbergh School - Website: https://www.sedbergh.org.uk/events/ ### Windermere Rugby Club Fireworks Extravaganza (Bowness-on-Windermere) The rugby club's annual night at Dawes Meadow has three live bands, street food, real ale and mulled wine, with gates from 5.30pm. No price and no fireworks start time are published yet. Windermere Lake Cruises carries the listing but doesn't organise it, so the club's Facebook page is where updates will land. On paper it's more night out than toddler outing. - Price: To be confirmed - Parking: Not stated - Toilets/buggies: Not stated - Check first: Price, fireworks start time and parking, on the club's Facebook page - Website: https://www.facebook.com/WindermereRUFC ### Hawkshead Bonfire and Fireworks Display (Hawkshead) Listed as 'November 2026 (TBC)', everyone welcome from 5.30pm, food and drink to buy. A tourism directory puts a Hawkshead Recreation Ground bonfire around the 5th in a normal year, free with donations, though it admits these are 'very rarely published online'. Watch the organisers' Facebook page. - Price: Donations on entry, cash only - Parking: Not stated - Toilets/buggies: Not stated - Check first: The date, still to be confirmed - Website: https://www.facebook.com/p/Hawkshead-Bonfire-and-Fireworks-Display-100077177754663/ ## Fireworks in Kendal, Keswick, Penrith and Ulverston: not announced yet None of these four towns had published a 2026 display when I checked on 29 September, and I'd rather say that than list something that may not exist. If you've been searching fireworks kendal or fireworks keswick, that is the honest answer: nothing published yet, only 'usually' from directories. Confirmed ones go into the Cumbrian Almanac on this site. ### Kendal Rugby Club community fireworks (last year's pattern) (Kendal) In 2025 it was the Community Fireworks at Kendal Rugby Club, Shap Road (LA9 6NY): Friday 7 November 2025, gates 5pm, fireworks 7.30pm, food stalls, tickets on TryBooking, plus a VIP clubhouse option. Nothing is announced for 2026: the club's home page has no fireworks news and last year's booking page is closed. If they repeat it, it'll be a Friday near Bonfire Night, but nobody has said they will. A tourism directory also lists a Kendal Castle bonfire as 'usually' around 5 November, free with donations. Not a plan. - Price: 2025 tickets on TryBooking; price not shown - Parking: Not stated - Toilets/buggies: Not stated - Check first: No 2026 date as at 29 September - Website: https://www.kendalrugby.co.uk/ Keswick: no 2026 display found, and the events listing I could read shows none for 2025 either. The tourism directory lists the Swinside Inn, Keswick, as 'usually on or around the 5th', undated. The nearest confirmed display is Cockermouth on 1 November. Penrith is much the same. Discover Penrith's what's-on has nothing, and the directory only names Penrith Lions Bonfire Night as usually around the 5th, with no date or price. A lead to chase, not an event. Ulverston has no town display announced, and the only listings I found on ulverston.com are last year's. Lindal Moor Cricket Club held its fireworks on Saturday 8 November 2025 (gates 5.30pm, 6.30pm start, £5 a head, under-3s free). Gleaston Village Hall's bonfire on Wednesday 5 November 2025 had fireworks at 7pm, free with donations. Neither has a 2026 listing yet. Whitehaven is a January thing. The Town Council's 2025 harbour display was postponed from December and held on Friday 9 January 2026 at 5.15pm, for 10 to 15 minutes, with residents told to keep pets in. I couldn't find the next date. Ambleside's lights night on 21 November has dropped its fireworks this year (the organisers cite rising costs and doubled insurance), so it isn't a second chance. ## Where to park and how early to turn up Carlisle needs a plan. Bitts Park car park is shut and there's no vehicle access to Dacre Road, so you're parking in the city and walking. The council's directory lists Castle, Caldew Riverside and Cecil Street car parks in Carlisle, and I couldn't get evening charges out of it, so read the tariff board before you walk away from the machine. Castle Way and West Tower Street are closed from about 7.30pm to 8.30pm afterwards, so I'd park on the other side of the centre from the castle (my view, not the council's), be parked by about 5.15pm and be walking in by half past. > Bonfire night in Carlisle is easy to plan. Getting out of Castle Way at ten past eight is the hard part. Low Wood Bay's parking is in the ticket and the lounge opens at 6pm for a 7.30pm display, so don't turn up early. Walby's free car park is on site, and arriving early there is about the play barn. For Cockermouth, Sedbergh, Windermere and Hawkshead the pages say nothing about parking, so ring or message first. It's all outdoors, on grass, in November. Only Low Wood Bay's page mentions weather, and Walby says it's a farm and the mud is what it is. Wellies, hats, a flask, a torch for the walk back. ## If your child hates the bangs Mine are six and seven, and the honest position is that you find out once the first rocket goes up. It's usually the bangs that upset them, not the lights, so plan an exit and a backup. - Stand at the back, well away from the launch site, and leave before the finale. At Carlisle, work out your way out before you sit down. - Try ear defenders. Children's sizes are cheap; put them on before the first rocket, not after the first scream. - Watch from indoors if there's a choice. Low Wood Bay's Gallery Lounge is the nearest thing here, if I've read the page right. - Go for light instead of bangs. The options are below. ### Lights of Lowther (Lowther, near Penrith) Selected evenings from Saturday 14 November to Wednesday 30 December, mostly Friday to Sunday, in timed half-hour slots from 4pm (last entry 8pm). Most people take about an hour, with mulled wine, hot chocolate and marshmallows by the end. It's a walk, so a child who's had enough can turn round without ruining anyone's view. Dogs are welcome. A storm or heavy snow may cancel it, with a new date or a refund. - Price: Adult £20, child (under 16) £15, family £65, under-3s free - Parking: Free - Toilets/buggies: Step-free throughout, ramps where there are steps; toilets not mentioned - Check first: Book a slot; arrive within 30 minutes of it - Website: https://lowthercastle.org/visiting/lights-of-lowther/ ### Museum of the Moon at Carlisle Cathedral (Carlisle) A seven-metre illuminated Moon hangs in the cathedral until Sunday 1 November, open Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sundays noon to 2pm, no booking by day. That includes Fireshow day, so a child who won't do the bangs can have the Moon in the afternoon and skip the night. The after-hours Moon Lates are for over-14s. - Price: Suggested donation £5 adult, £12 family - Parking: Not stated - Toilets/buggies: Not stated - Check first: Hours can change around services - Website: https://carlislecathedral.org.uk/museum-of-the-moon/ ### Ulverston Candlelit Walk (Ulverston) Saturday 31 October, 5.45pm to 8.30pm, through the dark woods of The Gill (LA12 7BJ) by candlelight. The page lists it under what's on for children, with no age limit given. Tickets are pre-booked only and normally go on sale in early October, so check now. - Price: £1.75 - Parking: Not stated - Toilets/buggies: Not stated - Check first: Pre-booked only; dogs, age limits and what to wear aren't on the page - Website: https://ulverston.com/item/candlelit-walk-2026/ ### Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Drone Light Show (Carlisle) Saturday 14 November at Carlisle Racecourse (CA2 4TS), listing 2pm to 7pm. Hundreds of synchronised drones tell the Rudolph story in the night sky, with fairground rides and food stalls. No fireworks are mentioned, which is the point for a nervous child, though 'cinematic sound' could still be loud. The listing doesn't say when the drones go up. - Price: Listed from £14.99, check the booking page - Parking: Not stated - Toilets/buggies: Not stated - Check first: When the drones launch; age guidance - Website: https://www.visitlakedistrict.com/whats-on/rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-the-drone-light-show-cumbria-p2652821 Winter at Sizergh near Kendal is another gentle one: a light and sound trail from 20 November to 24 December, 12pm to 8pm. Non-member adults £13, children 5 and over £9.75, under-5s free; dogs on leads are welcome on the estate and woodland knoll, though not in the house and gardens. ## Sparklers and dogs Carlisle bans all fireworks on site, sparklers included, so sparklers are a garden job. Cumbria Fire and Rescue recommends a professional display over your own, says to supervise children and keep pets indoors, and says never set off fireworks after 11pm because it's illegal. It has nothing on sparklers specifically, so this is my own rule, not an official one: gloves, a bucket of water, one each, no waving, and spent ones into the water because the wire stays hot. Six and seven is fine with a grown-up right there. A toddler isn't, in my view; check the fire service's age advice. Dogs: Carlisle bans pets, Walby allows assistance dogs only, and Lowther's light trail welcomes them. The Dogs Trust says don't go out after dark, be settled inside before any fireworks start, check the house and garden are escape-proof, keep microchip details up to date, stay with the dog, close the curtains, put music or the telly on, and don't tell them off. If yours is properly frightened, see a vet. ## Which one if you can only do one With primary-age kids and the least misery per pound, Walby on 5 November. The play barn covers the wait for dark, the fireworks are in a field away from the animals and £11.95 covers the lot. The catches: it's a school night, so a 9pm finish means a grim Friday morning, and tickets are limited so it may be gone. If Walby's gone, or you want size and free entry, it's the Carlisle Fireshow: more than 2,000 fireworks, a bonfire, no ticket and no school next day. The price is 35,000 other people, no dogs and a road-closure exit. Adults on their own should look at Low Wood Bay for the lake view. If the child hates bangs, Lights of Lowther from 14 November is the one where nobody flinches. ## Questions people ask **When are the fireworks in Carlisle 2026?** The Carlisle Fireshow is on Saturday 31 October 2026, starting at 6.30pm in Bitts Park. It's the 37th Fireshow, with more than 2,000 fireworks set to music and a centrepiece bonfire. **Is Carlisle Fireshow free?** Yes, admission is free and there's no booking. No alcohol, pets or fireworks of any kind, including sparklers, are allowed on site. **When are Cockermouth fireworks?** Cockermouth Town Council lists its annual fireworks display for Sunday 1 November 2026, 5pm to 7pm, at the Memorial Gardens. The council's page doesn't give a price or a fireworks start time, so ring 01900 821869 to check. **Are there fireworks in Kendal in 2026?** No 2026 date had been announced when I checked on 29 September. Last year's display was at Kendal Rugby Club on Friday 7 November 2025, with gates at 5pm, fireworks at 7.30pm and tickets on TryBooking. **Are there fireworks in Keswick on Bonfire Night?** I couldn't find a published 2026 display for Keswick. The nearest confirmed one is Cockermouth on Sunday 1 November, and Windermere has two on 5 and 7 November. **Where can I see fireworks in the Lake District on 5 November 2026?** On Thursday 5 November, Low Wood Bay at Windermere has a display at about 7.30pm from £12.50 a head, and Sedbergh School lists a bonfire and fireworks at 6.45pm (public access isn't stated). Windermere Rugby Club's is on Saturday 7 November. **Is there a fireworks display near me in Cumbria?** The confirmed ones are Carlisle (Saturday 31 October), Cockermouth (Sunday 1 November), Walby and Low Wood Bay (Thursday 5 November) and Windermere Rugby Club (Saturday 7 November). Small village and club displays are rarely published online, so check the organiser's page or Facebook. **Can I take my dog to a fireworks display in Cumbria?** Not at Carlisle, where pets are banned from the park, or at Walby, which allows assistance dogs only. The Dogs Trust advises keeping your dog settled indoors well before fireworks start, with the curtains closed and music on. ## Sources - Discover Carlisle: Carlisle Fireshow 2026: https://www.discovercarlisle.co.uk/events/carlisle-fireshow-2/ - Cumbria Crack: date revealed for Carlisle Fireshow, 24 September 2026: https://cumbriacrack.com/2026/09/24/date-revealed-for-carlisle-fireshow-celebrating-tour-de-france/ - Greatest Hits Radio Cumbria: Carlisle Fireshow 2026 Tour de France theme: https://www.hellorayo.co.uk/greatest-hits/cumbria/news/carlisle-fireshow-2026-tour-de-france-theme - Cumberland Council bulletin: 2025 Carlisle Fireshow: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKCUMBERLAND/bulletins/3f972ef - Cumberland Council: car parks: https://www.cumberland.gov.uk/parking-roads-and-transport/parking/car-parks - Cockermouth Town Council: Annual Fireworks Display 2026: https://cockermouth.org/events/cockermouth-annual-fireworks-display-2026/ - Walby Farm Park: Bonfire Bonanza 2026: https://www.walbyfarmpark.co.uk/event/bonfire-bonanza-2026/ - Walby Farm Park: FAQ: https://www.walbyfarmpark.co.uk/your-visit/faq/ - Low Wood Bay: Bonfire Night 2026: https://englishlakes.co.uk/events/2026-bonfire-night-at-low-wood-bay-resort-spa/ - Windermere Lake Cruises: bonfire night and fireworks listing: https://www.windermere-lakecruises.co.uk/discover/bonfire-night-and-fireworks-windermere - Sedbergh School: events: https://www.sedbergh.org.uk/events/ - TheLakeDistrict.org: bonfire night in the Lake District (undated directory): https://www.thelakedistrict.org/things-to-do/events/bonfire-night-in-the-lake-district/ - TryBooking: Kendal Community Fireworks 2025: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/91578 - Kendal Rugby Club: https://www.kendalrugby.co.uk/ - Ulverston.com: Lindal Fireworks 2025: https://ulverston.com/item/lindal-fireworks/ - Ulverston.com: Gleaston Bonfire Night 2025: https://ulverston.com/item/gleaston-bonfire/ - Ulverston.com: Candlelit Walk 2026: https://ulverston.com/item/candlelit-walk-2026/ - Discover Penrith: what's on: https://discoverpenrith.co.uk/whats-on/ - Keswick.org: what's on: https://www.keswick.org/whats-on - Cumbria Crack: Whitehaven firework display to be held this week, 5 January 2026: https://cumbriacrack.com/2026/01/05/whitehaven-firework-display-to-be-held-this-week/ - Ambleside Christmas Lights 2026: https://www.amblesidechristmaslights.com/ - Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service: bonfire and firework safety: https://www.cumbriafire.gov.uk/bonfire-night-safety - Dogs Trust: supporting your dog during fireworks: https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/seasonal/fireworks - Lowther Castle and Gardens: Lights of Lowther: https://lowthercastle.org/visiting/lights-of-lowther/ - Carlisle Cathedral: Museum of the Moon: https://carlislecathedral.org.uk/museum-of-the-moon/ - Visit Lake District: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Drone Light Show: https://www.visitlakedistrict.com/whats-on/rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-the-drone-light-show-cumbria-p2652821 - National Trust: Winter at Sizergh: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/lake-district/sizergh/winter-at-sizergh - Cumberland Council: school term and holiday dates: https://www.cumberland.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-term-and-holiday-dates - GOV.UK: when do the clocks change: https://www.gov.uk/when-do-the-clocks-change